[jamess1988]

BIG BROTHER will be axed at the end of this summer.

That is the view of bookies who are so convinced bosses will pull the plug they have slashed odds on the 2008 series; BB9 – being the last.

Race rows, dull contestants and ever-changing formats have seen bored viewers desert the one-time smash hit show in droves.

Big Brother: Celebrity Hijack, which finished with a whimper last night, has been the biggest flop so far. An average of only 600,000 have watched this series;– a pathetic 10% of the viewers who watched the final two years ago.

Last night bookies made their opinions clear by offering odds of just 5-1 that Channel 4 bosses will evict the show;and punters piled on the cash.

The ratings slide began a year ago when gobby Jade Goody’s bullying of Bolly-wood babe Shilpa Shetty lost the show millions of disgusted viewers. And last summer’s flagship show, won by Essex lad Brian Belo, 20, failed to catch fire and viewing figures plummeted by 20%.

Bosses tried to halt the slump with a change of format on Celebrity Hijack, but viewers are simply not interested.
Ladbrokes spokesman Nick Weinberg said: “Celebrity Hijack has hardly captured the imagination of punters.

“And there are plenty of customers who reckon it’s the beginning of the end.”
Most embarrassing of all, even the number of wannabe housemates has nosedived.

The number of people who turned up to BB9 auditions – in cities including Manchester, Belfast, Birmingham and Cardiff; is at an all-time low.

A senior show insider said: “It’s a real worry that people are rushing to the bookies to place bets on the show being axed
“It doesn’t say much for public confidence in the brand.”

Source: The Daily Star
http://www.dailystar.co.uk/bigbrothe...bets-it-s-off/

Does anyone believe this? If the bookies are taking bets on it, they must think it's likely. I really hope this isn't the last one. I guess it depends on how successful this series is!